POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A driver going upwards of 130 mph on Interstate 4 in Polk County caused massive delays Friday morning after he crashed into two semi-trucks during a chase with a Florida Highway Patrol trooper, the agency said.
It all started just before midnight Friday. According to FHP, the driver of a Toyota Camry was spotted by a trooper going westbound on I-4 at 102 mph. The trooper reportedly tried to overtake the car, but the driver kept speeding, reaching up to 130 mph.
The car kept going until it reached the area near the Memorial Boulevard exit, where an active construction zone had closed all but the left lane of westbound I-4. Troopers say the Camry driver entered the closed part of the highway and hit two semi-trucks in the construction zone.
Car breaks apart after high-speed chase on I-4 in Polk County
Upon impact, the Camry separated into multiple parts, ejecting the driver and his passenger onto the inside shoulder of I-4. Both men, a 37-year-old from Tampa and a 30-year-old from Port Charlotte suffered serious injuries, FHP said.
Immediately after the crash, the driver of a Subaru Outback going westbound was hit by portions of the Camry as they drove through the crash. The two semi-truck drivers and the Subaru driver had minor injuries.
When searching the wreckage of the Camry, troopers say they found close to $5,000 in cash and several pounds of marijuana inside.
The westbound lanes of I-4 remained closed until 7:30 a.m. Commuters were presented with massive delays for hours lasting several miles in the area.
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